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I know that being green isn't going to stop you from exploring other cities—or even your own city. And it shouldn't. But exploring and traveling the green way demands just a bit of finesse, and it's something we try to address as often as possible. Before you hop in your car and embark on a fun spring road trip, consider a mass transit tour. Even if you have to drive to the city you're visiting (and really consider whether or not you 'have to' drive. Being a New Yorker who travels multiple times a month without the aid of a car, I can tell you: trains and buses do work; and they work well), you can still save some fuel by hopping on a mass transit tour.
Curtis Silwa, founder of Guardian Angels, has a new "Underbelly Tour" and that is what has got me thinking. I saw a piece in Yahoo! News recently about his new tour—which is conducted on New York City's 4 train. The "Underbelly Tour", sure enough, just might not be for everyone. It guides tourists through a three-hour tour of the South Bronx. It educates tourists on the rough 1970's in the area and the crime problems that still exist today because of that time period. From money-laundering to drug houses, tourists get to see a not-so-touristy part of New York and they get to do the whole thing via the green line (no pun there, it's seriously the green-colored line in NYC)—oh yeah, and the tour price is negotiable—all of the proceeds support Guardian Angels.
But this is no new idea. Many cities offer bus tours, trolley tours, and other mass transit tours. Explore them! Seeing a side of any given city via mass transit is most certainly a green way to romp around on your next day off—and hey, you might learn a thing or two while you're at it.
Here are some mass transit tourism links to get you started:
- Bus Tours in New York City
- Bus Tours in Hollywood and Los Angeles
- Trolley and Double Decker Tours in Chicago
- Bus Tours in Boston
- Bus Tours in Denver
- Bus Tours in Seattle
More on traveling the green way:
Avoid Major Tourist Spots For A Greener, Easier Road Trip
Be A Green Traveler: Know When You Need A Passport
